“Be careful what you wish for.”

Baggies fans have been whacked over the head with that supposed pearl of wisdom in recent months.

The Hawthorns faithful accept that Pulis’ reputation as a footballing firefighter and safe pair of hands was founded on the facts of his managerial career, Baggies supporters should be forgiven for wanting to wish away an appalling sequence of results.

West Brom followers are allowed to hope for better than three wins in 24 league games - and even if the new man can’t guarantee it, he could at least give them the encouragement to dream, something that disappeared under Pulis.

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What does history tell us?

A quick check on the last two men to replace Pulis shows the potential pros and cons.

Back in 2013, Stoke severed a seven-year tie with the chap in the cap leaving many Potters fans wondering where they’d turn.

In his place came Mark Hughes, who inherited a team that, in the first five years of its Premier League era, had finished 12th, 11th, 13th, 14th and 13th, accumulating no less than 42 and no more than 47 points in the process.

On the flip side, when Pulis left Crystal Palace after a fall-out with the board on the eve of the 2014-15 campaign, having rescued them from relegation the previous season, the Eagles dared to re-hire Neil Warnock.

Four months later Warnock was sacked with Palace in the bottom three with Alan Pardew hired to clear up the mess and guide the Selhurst Park club to a top half finish.